One of the most frequent and perplexing questions I get from people when I conduct book signings and discussions is this: “Why do black people call themselves African-American? Don’t they know that’s divisive and that we all should just be called American?”

I usually respond by asking how that simple term divides us in ways other terms — like Southerner or Christian or progressive or conservative or Tar Heel — don’t. They usually don’t have a good answer other than to say it’s different because it involves race. I don’t mind being called African-American, African American, black, young, Southerner, father, son, husband. It’s not that big of a deal to me. Call me Issac. But linguist and commentator John McWhorter argues that it is time for the term to go. McWhorter is a thoughtful black man. Check out his reasoning.

From McWhorter’s piece: “I would argue that native-born blacks are so vastly less “African” than actual Africans that calling ourselves “African American” is not only illogical but almost disrespectful to African immigrants. Here are people who were born in Africa, speak African languages, eat African food, dance in African ways, remember African stories, and will spiritually always be a part of Africa–and we stand up and insist that we, too, are “African” because Jesse Jackson said so?” Read the entire piece here.